St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Lorain to celebrate 100 years of service

A century is certainly a long time for any type of institution.

For this Lorain church, 2024 marks 100 years since its initial founding in 1924.

Members of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, 3335 Grove Ave., are celebrating the centennial Oct. 12 and 13 with a variety of festivities, celebrations and gatherings and wants the entire area to know that they’re all invited to celebrate with them.

This beautiful church, which sits directly across from Oakwood Park, is presided over by the Rev. Hieromonk Nektarije Tesanovic, who parishioners simply call “father.”

The church is a celebration of beautiful architecture and timeless Serbian and Orthodox traditions, mixed with a healthy dose of faith, family and food.

The celebration on Oct. 12 begins with the Holy Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am, followed by a sold-out affair at the Spitzer Conference Center at Lorain County Community College, 1005 N. Abbe Road in Elyria.

At 7 pm, the church will host a Centennial Reunion featuring dinner, dancing and music in its basement hall.

“This church family is a historical imprint of the sacrifices made by the generations of Serbian immigrants loyal to their Orthodox faith and rich heritage,” Tesanovic said. “Everyone is welcome to our church.

“Please join us for the services and fellowship on our journey of molding into the character of Christ, Our Lord. Anniversaries are a time to pause. They are time to reflect on who we are and what we are doing.

“On the 100th anniversary, we are called once again to pause, reflect and answer these questions. Who are we? We are the Lord’s people and his creation. What are we doing? We bless God’s name and give thanks to him.

“The answers to these questions have been lived out daily since 1924. In 2024, I’m grateful to my predecessors, the priests who served this parish and helped in molding this community in the icon of Christ. In this year of our 100th anniversary, we should increase our prayers.

“We should see each other as important instruments of collaboration and talent channeling, bringing what God gave us back to him caring for what we have and strengthening the future by keeping our doors open to all.

“May all of us be joyful for all this community has done over the last 100 years and praise God for all things he brings to us tomorrow.”

Getting to know Tesanovic

Tesanovic has served the Serbian Orthodox Church for the past six years, making him one of the longest tenured parish priests in the 100-year history.

He is the 24th priest to serve the Lorain parish and is presiding over a flock of more than 100 and growing, as well as addressing change both culturally and physically to the church.

Tesanovic was born in 1994 in Serbia.

He attended the Seminary High School of St. Arsenios of Srem in Sremski Karlovci from 2009 to 2014, where he was awarded the honor of the Pure Heart as well as the honor of the best student in the generation.

Tesanovic graduated in 2018 from the St. Sava School of Theology in Illinois with a licentiate in theology with the academic distinction maxima cum laude.

He was tonsured a monk at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox monastery in Libertyville on April 6, 2017, by the hand of His Grace Longin, bishop of New Gracanica and Midwestern America, receiving the name “Nektarije” after St. Nectarios of Aegina.

In 2023, Tesanovic graduated from the University of St. Katherine’s master of divinity program.

He also speaks Serbian, Spanish and Greek.

But, in any language, Tesanovic attributes the longevity of the church to family.

In fact, he has seen fifth generation families currently in the parish with their family tree going back to the very first service in the church.

“We want to be a community gathering place, a place for community and for faith and for family,” Tesanovic said. “We’re out in the community of Lorain, but also in other parishes.

“We want to encourage families to come to church. We’ve established good roots to the younger generation. The families have each other, and they support our church. It’s all about family and relationships.

“Fellowship is very important to us. It brings everyone together, and that’s why we so much enjoy inviting guests to join us and to celebrate with us.”

Currently, the physical church itself is undergoing several renovations and updates, while the original bell continues to ring and the stained-glass windows filter the sunlight into the sanctuary.

And while a new roof, renovated steeples and the addition of air conditioning may not sound like a big deal to some, for the church, these represent solid steps forward.

The upstairs of the church, originally the parish priest’s residence, was converted to office space.

And, an ample commercial kitchen graces the remodeled St. George Hall to efficiently provide meals and treats for events and celebrations all year long.

The services now are conducted in 95 percent English, Tesanovic said, with the remaining five percent is done in continuity to traditions and a nod to “the old ways.”

The beginnings of Serbian immigration to Lorain are traced to the onset of the 1900s.

The first large group arrived in May 1903.

However, after World War I, immigrants started a new organization called Serbian National Home and School.

In 1923, they renamed that organization Church School Community.

The physical foundations of St. George were blessed by Bishop Mardarije on Nov. 13, 1927, and the church was consecrated on July 28, 1929.

Weekly services start at 10 am Sundays.

All are welcome.